Collapsible last



June 16, 1953 GF. RYAN ooLLAPsIBLE LAST 2 Sheets-Sheet l "AvFi'Ied Nov. 5 1.3,A 135gY 1 NAW .42 -l.

June 16, 1953 G. F. RYAN coLLAPsIBLE LAST 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13. 1950 INVENTOR.

lill/[191m Patented June 16, 1953 4zulsuTl-:D :STATES PATElSiT oFFIc-E 12,641,782 :ooLiLnPsILE LAST ;George'F.Ryan, South Peabody,iMass;; Beatrice Z.' Ryan, executrix"V of said- George z-Ryan, ldefceased, :assignorfto Ryan &.:Burke Machine; Co., `.Ii1c.,-:Ly i11 1,; Mass.,v a corporation of. Massachu- `-Apl'ilication"November 13, 1950,?Serial N01'195,`26`5 -ior Sa AYsatisfactory vlast construction permitting azqllok' and substantial collapse and shortening ofarthe last'inorder-'that it may bewithdrawn from the lasted upperfwithout undue strain, land' which alsof- Will insure the lengthening `of the aofolaime (Cria-136) last after itvhasbeen'fully introduced into the upperin'zthe case of :slip lasted'fsho'es.

Another essential requirementis that :the opera-tions of locking and unlocking ythe last should .begcapable vof-:being-effected instantaneously vand withoutrequiringfanyextended manipulation on the-Dart of the -operaton fAll these conditions vare advantageously fulfil-led in accordance with .the novel` construction of -my linvention. Y

In -oneaspect it vis-charaeterizedn by Connecting mechanism comprising an anchor pin nach ;.;part of. 'the last and-.tension means-forf-,limiting separation @of "said pins including, in part, Aone .togsleelink of--arair-whch havefthe -functionzof orcngthe said pins apart Yand@holding them locked 4in this condition --With vthe laste fully ex- ;terldgd- The tensonmeanaas hereinvshwn, comprises-a tension' link: vdirectly connected with one of the anchor pins andvapairfoff togglelinks :connected at their opposite/ends `t0 thertension linkiandto -the other-of said pins at an vintermediate poi-nt. @ne of-the toggle linksis tarrangedto rockabout .ananchorf pin and-has conv.tactsurfaceslyingonboth Vsides of the axis of the anchorfpinfsoithat the u,toggle `maysbereadily i broken or straightened by :pressure -on .one or the other of these contact surfaces.V The4 second :linkcf .the-pair has ra,- face which y is engageable l Wit-h the other anchor-'pin'so that .when fthe .OEglG `lIlkS "are fsllfa'ghlend, the 'WO '31101101' :pil-,1sV are forcedapart:by-toggle action to relative .positions-of extreme SeparatiQn. .Salons yasthey are.' heldy in this, postonfthe-lastislocked imax- Pandedtcond-itonand When-the toeslag-breken Vthe elast.. fis Quickly .'and-snbsiantially shortened- -f The y ,connecting vmechanis'm of my :invention `has the-furtherf-tadvantage that it rmay-"be constructed principally-out of f sheet usteel stampings which may fbe produced economically and which rmayabe Yconveniently retained in narrowslots `formed in theecontiguousgfaces .of the lastparts. YSuch -slots -arefoundin vlasts yalready manufac- Vtui-'ed.. commercially, fand accordingly the -c'on-f,

Inecting mechanism of v my invention. requires. no .unusual or extensive preparation of the v last parts, .Moreoven itfhaseno tendencyto split -the last since .the slots containing -it :mayrrbe surrounded by fan .amplethickness of .,-wood.

AThese and ;other.,features Tof fthe: invention will Zbe best i understood 1 and :appreciated from v.the

following descriptionA .of -a preferred embodiment .lthereofselectedfor purposes ,of illustration and shown in ,the..accorr 1 panyingdrawings, in.which:

Eig. 41 is a .viewinelevation, lpartly rin longitudi-nal section,l showingthe last .in extended .po- :sition upon ia-jaCk,

Fig. 2vis-a fragmentary sectional view showing particularly the ,unlockingpinof the jack.

Fig. .3 isa.view-:corresponding to-Fig. 1 vbut A.shovvingthe ..j ackincollapscd position,

f Fig. `4 l,fisa fragmentary sectional view corresponding'.. toEig..2 showing the Nunlocking .pin in raised position,

.E ig. ,-5-isan` exploded .View `vshowing two. of the links,

Figs-6 and L7 are fragmentary -views .corresponding tofFigsfl-iandz but .on alarger scale,

l.Eig. 8 .is-fa viewof.=the.,connecting mechanism,

,partly in -section. as-seen lfrom above .and onl a greatly enlarged fscale,

lFig. .9 is .a .sectional View .on theline-B of Fig. 10 is a View in elevationofthe flocking 'JIhelast comprisesiaiorepart .mand va. heel .part Il `.of ...conventional shapeseparated -by a ,diagonalicut formedyvith a. shoulder near vthe .coneoflthelast .'Ihe twozlastparts arevprovided with .registering .'.slots extending inwardly from their meeting Y. faces )and in these slots .is

.mountedthe connecting. mechanism. .This -com- .prises amainlink 4|.2 .formed by. folding on V.itself .an-piece of -sheet steelsofas. to vprovide :spaced side 'imembers and .these members zare provided `With registeringiflongitudinal slots .|3. .The link I 2 Y is v of dou-ble construction throughout Yits v`Wliolei-.eXter-it, the fold fvertex -l4 being formed vat :the Lforward. .end of la substantially rectangular portion of the link. This `merges rearwardly .i into a .hook-shaped.. portion 1- as .well

shown in Fig. 5. rI 'he recess which defines the hooked portion has a pair of spaced cavities I5 and I 6 therein and a hole |8 for a pivot pin connecting the main link to the toggle links as will presently appear. The anchor pin I9 of the forepart passes through the slot I3 of the main link and is freely movable therein.

Toggle links and 2| are pivotally connected at one end to the rear end of the main link. The link 20 is formed with a ange or pin 22 at its free forward end which has two functions, it provides a guiding connection with the slot i3, and it provides a contact face for engaging and pushing the anchor pin I9 outwardly in the slot. The other end of the link 20 has a circular periphery fitting a corresponding socket in the periphery of the other toggle link 2| and is provided with a circular aperture 23.

The other toggle link 2| has a centrally disposed aperture 24 which may be slightly elongated and which receives the anchor pin 29 of the heel part. It will thus be seen that the link 2| is pivotally mounted to rock on this pin. It is also provided withY a hookshaped connecting element 25 which is received in the circular aperture 23 of the link 20 and serves to maintain the knuckle joint of the toggle. The complementary curved surfaces of the two links in this joint provide an eiiective pressure transmitting connection, while the hooked element 25 prevents disengagement of the links. The link 2| is also provided at its rear end with a pivot hole 2 for the reception of a pivot pin 28 which passes through both sides of the main link I2 and connects the toggle links thereto. It will be apparent that the recess in the main link I2 affords clearance for the operative movement of the toggle links as will be seen by comparing the position of the toggle links in Figs. 1 and 3 or in Fig. 10'. When the toggle links are straightened as shown in Fig. 1, the anchor pin I9 is pushed to the extreme limit permitted by the slot of the main link I2. In this position the toggle is closed an innitesimal amount beyond its dead center position so that the toggle is thus locked in its extended position. This is governed by engagement of the anchor pin 29 in the cavity I5 of the main link. On the other hand, when the toggle is broken, its limiting position is determined by engagement of the anchor pin 29 with the cavity i6. When the toggle is broken to the position shown in Fig. 3, Vthe anchor pin IS in the forepart of the last is released and the two parts of the last are therer fore entirely free to move into' shortened relation in the direction determined by the shape of their meeting faces.

The toggle links above described may be operated in any convenient manner as, forexample, by a jack 30 herein illustrated. This includes a spindle 3| adapted to enter the thimble of the last in the usual manner, and a locking pin 32 mounted for vertical movement in the jack in a path so directed that it will engage the inner end of the toggle link 2| when the latter is in broken position. When the locking pin 32 is elevated, the link 2| is rocked about the anchor pin 29 and the toggle straightened. The locking pin 32 rests upon a slide 33 having a wedge-shaped surface so located as to elevate the locking pin 32 when the slide is pushed toward the left as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The jack also contains an unlocking pin 34 guided in a movement such that it engages the outer end of the toggle link 2| when it is elevated so that it serves to rock the toggle link 2| in a clockwise direction and break the toggle. The unlocking pin is operated by a corresponding wedge surface in the slide 33 and these two surfaces are so located that when the locking pin is elevated the unlocking pin is free to drop, and vice versa.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that a last equipped with the improved connecting mechanism of my invention makes the insertion of the last fast and effortless in pretted uppers. It eliminates strained or broken back seams due to last removal, makes last removal easier and quicker, and so simplifies and speeds up relasting. When the last is closed after insertion, the driving power of the toggle stretches the upper toits full length from toe to heel resulting in a tight top line and a snug t in the heel and toe portions of the upper. The resulting easier relasting canv be carried out without detriment to the fine lasted lines of the shoe in the manufacture of Littleways or McKays. f

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A collapsible last having heel and foreparts With registering slots, connecting mechanism contained within the slots and including a main link having spaced side members longitudinally slotted near one' end, an anchor pin in the forepart of the last passing through the slot of the main link, a toggle link movably contained between the side members of the main link and having a pin slidable in said slot and an end face engageable with said anchor pin, a second toggle link pivoted to the other end of the main link and having an intermediate aperture, and an anchor pin in the heel part of the last passing through said aperture.

2. In a collapsible last having heel and foreparts, connecting mechanism including a longitudinally slotted main link, a pair of toggle links carried by the main link and presenting an abutment movable in the slot of the main link, an anchor pin passing through the slot, and a second anchor pin passing through one of the toggle links.

3. A collapsible last having heel and foreparts and connecting mechanism including a long slotted link, a pin anchoring it to the forepart, a short toggle link anchored to the heelpart and a second toggle link connected to the short link and having a contact face movable in the slot of the long link to push the said anchor pin into last locking position.

4. A collapsible last having heel and foreparts and connecting mechanism including an anchor pin in each part, a long link having a slot in which the forepart anchor pin is received, and toggle links one of which receives the anchor pin of the heel part and the other has a contact face movable against the other pin in the slot of the long link. A, g

E. A collapsible last having heel vand foreparts and connecting mechanism comprising a single anchor pin only in each part, and tension means for limiting separation of said pins including one toggle link of a pair of links mounted and shaped directly to force the said pins apart, said link being pivotally mounted between its ends tol rock on the anchor pin in the heel part of the last.

6. A collapsible last comprising heel and foren* parts and connecting mechanism including an anchor pin in each part of the last, a long link having a slot in which one of the anchor pins is freely movable, and a pair of toggle links pivotally connected at one end to the long link, guided at their other end in the slot of the long link and pivotally connected at an intermediate point to the other anchor pin.

7. A collapsible last comprising heel and foreparts and connecting mechanism including anchor pins in each part of the last, a tension link connected directly With one pin, and a pair of toggle links connected at their opposite ends respectively to the tension link and at an inter- 6 rst named toggle link and having a contact portion slidable in the slot of the tension link.

9. A collapsible last comprising heel and foreparts, a single anchor pin only in each part of the last,Y a slotted tension link engaging the anchor pin of the forepart and being connected also to the heel part, a toggle link pivoted at an intermediate point to rock upon the anchor pin of the heel part, and a second toggle link connected to the toggle link rst mentioned and having a sliding connection with the tension link.

10. A collapsible last of the character described in claim 9 in which the sliding connection of the second toggle link with the tension link includes a contact face for engaging the anchor pinof the forepart.

GEORGE F. RYAN i References cited in the nie of this patent vUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,261,781 Dodge Apr. 9, 1918 2,601,687 McNeill 1 July 1, 1952 

